Head of Learning Support (SENCO)

Head of Learning Support (SENCO)

Location: Surbiton, Surrey

Salary: United Learning Pay Structure, Plus TLR

Start Date: September 2022

Closing Date: 8:00am, Thursday 6 January 2022

Interviews to be held week commencing: 10 January 2022

The Learning Support Department at Surbiton High School is an approachable and friendly department consisting currently of 12 members of staff, several whom work part-time and some of whom who also work across our Girls’ Prep and/or Boys’ Prep Schools. We currently have 199 Senior School pupils on the learning support register with a range of Specific Learning Difficulties, dyslexia being the most widely represented. We currently have 2 senior school pupils on an EHCP.

This thriving department is based in a dedicated, large learning space and pupils come to the department for their Learning Support lessons; we do not use Teaching Assistants. We teach pupils one-to-one, in pairs, or in small groups, depending on need. Pupils attend before-school sessions, at breaks and lunchtimes, after school and during private study periods or in place of another lesson that they may have dropped, such as a language. It is a forward-looking department dedicated to ensuring pupils meet their potential and overcome barriers.

 

Key Responsibilities:

Subject Specific

• Identify and screen pupils with learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia.
• Ensure provision of additional support for pupils is appropriate to their needs.
• Provide teaching staff with information on individual pupils’ learning difficulties and strategies for classroom support.
• Liaise and correspond with all relevant stakeholders to best support the pupil (parents, teachers etc).
• Maintain a Learning Support Register.
• Draw up and distribute Learner Profiles.
• Work with the Examinations Team in regard to access arrangements
• Provide study skills’ support
• Liaise with the SENCO across the Prep Schools, focusing particularly on KS2 to KS3 transition from Girls’ Prep.
• Contribute to whole-school policy through participation in Heads of Department and Pastoral Team meetings.
• Keep the Senior Leadership Team informed of developments and changes in policy relating to Special Educational Needs.
• Ensure that the School’s legal responsibilities are met.
• Be willing to train and support relevant staff.
• Be able to interpret assessment data in a meaningful way and to disseminate accordingly.
• Plan and organise the Learning Support Department’s timetable.
• Work with Admissions at the Senior School to ensure entrance exams are correctly tailored
• Lead on the EHCP process for individual pupils, ensuring correct protocol is followed and that the School meets statutory requirements.
• Build and maintain relationships with external agencies and liaise with HR regarding clearance for external visitors to the School.
• Teach a timetable which includes small groups and 1:1 from Year 7 – 13.
• Line-manage the Learning Support Department including the line management and leadership of EAL.

 

Teaching and Learning

• Lead the Department in pursuit of continuous improvement through innovation, strategic planning, and sharing of best practice.
• Monitor the quality of teaching and learning through regular observations of Departmental staff, work scrutiny and pupil feedback.
• Coach and support members of the Department to quality assure skill/knowledge base along with willingness to improve/develop.
• Develop members of the team through clear and carefully planned distribution of suitable tasks
• Identify strengths in the team to ensure the embracing of new teaching strategies, and pupils’ learning.

 

Results

• Track and monitor pupil progress and achievement within the subject area across all Key Stages, using baseline data.
• Lead in taking appropriate action to intervene in pupils’ underachievement
• Promote the use of target-setting and high-quality pupil feedback to inform teaching and learning strategies.
• Ensure that teachers support pupil progress.

 

Curriculum

• Use areas of strength and expertise amongst the team to enhance curriculum delivery.
• Lead, with appropriate consultation, on changes in specifications and/or exam board.
• Keep abreast of, and communicate to the Department, changes in policies, guidelines and other national initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with requirements for exam entries and arrangements.
• Ensure that written records are kept as appropriate and in accordance with GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

 

Co-Curricular

• Working collectively as a team, identifying suitable co-curricular activities that enrich the curriculum and broaden the pupil learning experience.
• Delegate the organisation and administration of trips appropriately amongst the team.
• Monitor and develop/support the contribution made by members of the team to co-curricular activities.
• Ensure accurate and up-to-date information is maintained in relevant co-curricular documentation.

 

Values

• Engage in on-going personal and professional development in order to provide high quality and innovative educational leadership.
• Effectively communicate whole-School changes to the team, coaching teachers to develop their understanding and skill base surrounding new learning strategies.
• Create alignment with the School’s values and ethos to ensure Departmental ownership of whole school strategic development.
• Ensure Department compliance with agreed School policies
• Promote the School’s ethos of May Love Always Lead Us and the Best in Everyone.
• Work co-operatively with SLT and all colleagues.

General

• To carry out any such duties as may be reasonably requested.

 

For the full Person Specification please see the attached Job Description 

For any queries relating to the role or your application, please email recruitment@surbitonhigh.com

To Apply

Please apply online by clicking on the following:

https://unitedlearning.current-vacancies.com/Jobs/Advert/2468391?cid=1567 

Surbiton High School is culturally diverse and fully committed to celebrating, respecting and learning about inclusion and diversity throughout the community.

Surbiton High School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Please note that the School reserves the right to appoint at any stage during the recruitment process. If you are contracted to a full term’s notice and require an interview prior to 1 September in order to tender your notice before the start of the Autumn term, please do let us know asap via recruitment@surbitonhigh.com.